A renowned Colorado-based plastic surgeon has been declared guilty of attempted manslaughter. This follows the tragic death of a teenager who lost her life due to complications from a breast augmentation surgery in 2019, according to officials.
Emmalyn Nguyen, only 18 at the time, underwent the surgery on August 1, 2019, in the Greenwood Village office of Dr. Geoffrey Kim. Things took a turn after anesthesia was administered, leading to Nguyen experiencing cardiac arrest.
Dr. Kim performed CPR on Nguyen but acknowledged he did not dial 911 for medical assistance until nearly five hours later. In the court, two nurses stated that they had sought Kim’s approval to call for emergency help, but their request was turned down.
Following the botched procedure, Nguyen suffered severe brain damage. This left her unable to talk, walk, or feed herself. She required constant medical attention until her unfortunate death 14 months later.
Gary Dawson, the Chief Deputy District Attorney, said that while it’s understood that medical procedures can sometimes encounter unforeseen issues. However, Dr. Kim’s failure to call an ambulance and provide his patient with adequate hospital care demonstrated an extreme lack of judgment and compassion.
Dawson further stated that patients put their faith in their doctors and the end result could have been different if Dr. Kim had opted for the appropriate medical intervention. He stressed that Dr. Kim’s decisions seemed to prioritize his practice over his patient’s wellbeing.
In addition to attempted manslaughter, Kim was found guilty of obstruction of telephone services. He now faces up to three years in the Department of Corrections, with a hearing set for September 8th.
In the aftermath of a wrongful death lawsuit, Dr. Kim agreed to an out-of-court settlement, compensating Nguyen’s family with $1 million. After the charges against Kim were filed, Nguyen’s family expressed relief at the prospect of finally achieving justice for Emmalyn.